Optoma announces PK201, PK301 pico projectors
Optoma's been courting the bargain crowd with its pico projectors as of late, but it's going back after those with slightly deeper pockets with its latest pair of pocketables, which dial up both the model names and the price tags. Coming in at $299 and $399, respectively, the PK201 and PK301 each pack the same 854 X 480 resolution, but the latter packs a supposedly best in class 50 lumens of brightness, along with an optional battery bank for an extra two hours of use in bright mode. Otherwise, each will give you the same 2,000:1 contrast ratio, a microSD card slot, HDMI input, and a roughly similar form factor (though the PK201 is close to half an inch slimmer -- head on past the break for a shot of it).
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OPTOMA EXPANDS PICO PROJECTOR LINE WITH TWO NEW,
MORE POWERFUL MODELS
DLP Leader Increases Power, Connectivity & Storage to Meet "Road-Warrior" Needs
LAS VEGAS | January 7, 2010 | Optoma® Technology, Inc., the world's bestselling
brand of DLP® projectors, today announced a major expansion of its Pico line of
projectors, adding two new models, the PK201 and PK301. Both models offer greater
brightness, more connectivity and storage options than previous Pico models, and are
designed to be the perfect companion for business users and general consumers
seeking a more robust alternative to the lower-powered projectors currently available.
With end-user pricing of $299 and $399 respectively, both are expected to be available
by mid-March.
"Mobility and portability are increasingly important to end-users, both for business
and personal use," said Jon Grodem, Optoma's director of product and marketing.
"These two new Pico projectors put us in the best position to meet the performance
needs of more demanding users, enabling them to easily share videos, photos and
graphics on the road or at home."
With its best-in-class brightness of 50 lumens, the PK301 delivers a feature set
that makes it the ideal laptop and netbook companion and a perfect tool for road-
warriors looking to share more content in a wide range of environments. Weighing just
8 ounces and measuring 4.7"(W) x 2.7"(D) x 1.2"(H), the palm-sized PK301 combines
Optoma Introduces Pico PK301 & PK201
16:9 WVGA widescreen resolution, a 2000:1 contrast ratio and a full complement of
connectivity options, including HDMI and a MicroSD socket that supports up to 16GB.
The addition of an AC adapter allows the PK301 to pump out its 50 lumens of
brightness indefinitely, while its internal battery produces 20 lumens for up to 45
minutes. For users who want longer battery life or prefer a brighter image under battery
power, an optional extended power battery pack is available that will support the full 50
lumens output for 2 hours or more.
In addition to its mini HDMI input, the PK301 offers a host of other I/O
connections, including a universal port capable of receiving VGA and component video
signals. This makes connecting to the VGA port of laptops and netbooks for impromptu
presentations easy. The component video capability allows higher quality connections
to iPods and portable gaming devices.
"The PK301 is the gold-standard of Pico projectors," said Grodem. "It is a
different direction in Pico projectors, but its 8 ounces are packed full of added power
and features."
Lighter and smaller than its top-end counterpart, the PK201 weighs just 5.6
ounces with a lithium battery that powers the projector for more than 45 minutes in
bright mode, and one hour or more in its 12-lumens "eco" mode.
"The Pico category is becoming a mainstay in the projection market, and we feel
it's important to offer a full range of products for users to choose from," said Grodem.
"The PK201 is an ideal solution for the user who wants greater flexibility, but doesn't
need the higher lumens or want the slightly larger size of the PK301."
Both models employ a 0.5-watt speaker and an audio-out jack for connecting
headphones or external speakers. Both also offer about 30 MB of internal memory and
come with Optoma's encoding software that formats most picture and video files for
playback directly from the internal drive, the MicroSD card or other external memory
devices. The supported file formats are AVI, MOV, MP4 and 3GP through video
conversion software. Supported picture formats include JPEG, BMP, GIF and TIFF.
Optoma Introduces Pico PK301 & PK201
All Optoma Pico projectors employ Texas Instruments' latest DLP Digital Micro-
mirror device (the reflective chip that creates the image) combined with the latest in LED
and optical technology to deliver the best images available in compact projection.
Specifications
PK301
Native Resolution: 854 X 480 (16:9)
Panel: 0.3" WVGA DLP
Brightness: 50 ANSI lumens Bright mode (with AC power adapter or
optional extended battery pack)
20 ANSI lumens STD mode
Contrast Ratio: 2000:1 (Full On/Off)
LED / Life: LED (RGB), 20,000hrs
Internal Memory: 28MB
Battery: Up to 1 hour (standard)
Optional Battery Bank: >2+ hour bright mode
Image Size: 5"~120" (16:9 native)
7 I/O terminals: VGA (with incl. cable), micro USB, Video/Audio-in,
audio-out, DC Jack, MicroSD Socket, Mini HDMI
Video/Audio In: 2.5 mm A/V Jack, Composite
24 Pin CNNT: VGA/Component In
Micro USB: Host/ Device/ Battery charger
Audio Out: 3.5 mm Audio-Out Jack
Speaker: 0.5W
MicroSD: Support up to 16GB
Mini HDMI: HDMI in
Dimensions: 4.7"(W) x 2.7"(D) x 1.2"(H)
120.1mm(W) x 69.8mm(D) x 29.7mm(H)
Weight (with battery): 8 oz (227g) with standard battery
PK 201
Native Resolution: 854 X 480 (16:9)
Panel: 0.3" WVGA DLP
Brightness: 20 ANSI lumens Bright mode
12 ANSI lumens STD mode
Contrast Ratio: 2000:1
LED / Life: LED (RGB), 20,000hrs
Internal Memory: 28 MB
Battery: 1 hour
Image Size: 5"~66" (16:9 native)
Optoma Introduces Pico PK301 & PK201
7 I/O terminals: VGA (with incl. cable), micro USB, Video/Audio-in,
audio-out, DC Jack, Micro SD Socket, Mini HDMI
Video/Audio In: 2.5 mm A/V Jack, Composite
24 Pin CNNT: VGA/Component In
Micro USB: Host/ Device/ Battery charger
Audio Out: 3.5 mm Audio Out Jack
Speaker: 0.5W
Micro SD: Support up to 16GB
Mini HDMI: HDMI in
Dimensions: 4.6" (L) x 2.4" (W) x 0.7 (H)
117.7mm (L) x 60.6mm (W) x 16.6mm (H)
Weight (with battery): 5.60 oz (159 g) with battery
About Optoma Technology, Inc.
Optoma Technology, Inc. is an award-winning developer of projection and digital display products for
business and home. The company manufactures multimedia projectors for mobile users, fixed
installations and home theaters, as well as HD displays. Optoma products combine superior image
processing technologies with exceptional engineering and innovation to deliver images that are bright,
crystal clear, and finely tuned for tone and color. Optoma products are sold through the company's global
network of ProAV dealers, major consumer electronics retailers and Internet resellers. For more
information, visit www.optomausa.com.
